Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Establish a Control Date for the Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish Recreational For-Hire Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries announces an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to establish a control date of February 11, 2025, for the Federal summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish recreational for-hire fisheries. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested this control date to discourage speculative entry or fishing activity while managers consider if, and how, participation in the fishery may be affected through the ongoing Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment.

The control date is simply a notice to the public that the Mid-Atlantic Council may use the control date as a reference point when determining fishery access criteria as management measures are developed through the amendment process. Any future action taken by the Mid-Atlantic Council in relation to the control date will have additional public comment periods and will have an analysis of specific administrative, biological, economic, and social effects.

Publication of the control date does not have any immediate impact on fishery participants or fishing privileges, and it does not propose any changes to the Federal recreational management measures for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, or bluefish.

The comment period is open through September 24, 2025. Submit a public comment here.